Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1989

Abstract

In this foundational article, William S. Jordan III critically assesses the evolving judicial application of Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, arguing that the initial consensus surrounding Chevron deference has fractured due to political and ideological considerations within the judiciary. Jordan explores how lower courts and the Supreme Court have inconsistently applied the Chevron framework, often modifying or avoiding its steps in ways that reflect the judges’ policy preferences rather than principled doctrine. The article contends that the supposed clarity and neutrality of Chevron masked deeper tensions over institutional roles, the administrative state's legitimacy, and the politicization of judicial review. Jordan ultimately questions whether Chevron can continue to serve as a coherent guide for administrative law or whether a more flexible, context-sensitive approach to deference is inevitable.

Publication Title

Nebraska Law Review

Volume

68

First Page

454

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